


Back on Solid Ground

by NewtonsApple



Category: Vampire Diaries RPF
Genre: Boyfriends, Falling In Love, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Part 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2018-07-26 18:41:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7585645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NewtonsApple/pseuds/NewtonsApple
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I wrote this so long ago I thought I'd update it. It was a testament of how far I've come as a writer. The story kind of ran away with itself! The sex evolved into a mystery story!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dahlia_Rose_83](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dahlia_Rose_83/gifts).



> A gift fic for the lovely Dahlia_Rose_83 - this is really the second part that I didn't know I was going to write! I've made a few changes to the story as it wasn't flowing that well, comments welcome, as always (though I never seem to get any apart from Dahlia!)

Today is Matt's first day back at work. Six weeks of transporting a heavy cast from his thigh to his ankle has taken its toll. His left leg is skinnier than his right but that's okay. He limps over the paved area at the back of the set on his moon boot. Not the most attractive accessory he's ever had but still a thousand times better than the cast. 

Ian's arm hovers in case he trips or falls. It's sweet of him and he does appreciate it. But after six weeks of Ian treating him like a broken China vase, he's ready to get back to work. 

Ian holds the stage door open and bows. "Milady..."

"Bite me."

"Oh, I will. Later. When we don't have an audience."

"We're actors, isn't that the point?" Matt wants to nestle his head in Ian's neck but now all eyes are on him. He blushes as Julie, Kevin, Kat, Candice and Michael rush him en-masse. 

"There he is! We've missed you," Kat says with a squeal. 

Minutes later, Julie calls everyone to order like a courtroom judge. She separates them into groups for specific scenes and tells Matt to get to makeup. 

She peers into his face like he's something gross in a Petri dish. "Glad to see those bruises have gone."

"Gee thanks," he says, rolling his eyes. 

"Don't worry." Ian grins and leans down to whisper, "I still find you attractive."

The makeup artist tugs a cape around his neck. She hums to herself and mixes Alaric's flesh coloured body paint. Most of his wounds have healed, except for the seat belt one. She's halfway through when Ian Damon-dances into the trailer. 

Matt can't help the grin that lights up his face in the mirror. The makeup artist - Claire - pokes her tongue out. "Hey, stop that. You're not dry yet."

"I'll say..." Ian whispers.

"Shut up." Matt blushes and looks down at his lap. Being around Ian is so hard sometimes. He wants to hold him and kiss him. He can just imagine Claire's horror-struck face if he did. As a fellow Catholic like his parents, she frowns on homosexuality. In his mind, he isn't gay; he's just in love with Ian Somerhalder. It's as simple as that. 

Not that they've had sex since Italy. Mostly because the cast was too big and heavy. They've played of course; he can't keep his hands off Ian for long. Hand jobs and blow jobs and although he's enjoyed it, he wants more. Needs more. Like right now. He wants to throw off the cape and capture Ian's sinful lips with his tongue. Claire would love that. 

The only downside to his staying with Ian was he'd had to give up his apartment. He can't stay with him forever, they both need their space. 

Three scenes in, Matt's exhausted. He appreciates Julie's creativity but he's so tired. He's down to half a morphine tablet when the pain strikes but they drain him. 

Ian watches him from across the room, shooting him encouraging grins and thumbs-up signs. He smiles back, leaning on the crutches for support. The backdrop sways, he's rocking on his feet. Is he going to pass out?

Ian's at his side in a heartbeat. "Hey Julie, how many more scenes do you need Matt for? He needs a break."

"One more if you can stand it, then you guys can go. Tell you what, instead of standing by the door; Matt can sit in the green armchair. It'll make this scene way more realistic." Julie tucks a blanket over his lap to hide the moon boot and grins. "We're almost there Matt."

Ian rubs his knee when she turns her back. "You okay buddy?"

" _Yes_. Go now." Matt blinks hard to chase the exhaustion away. _One more scene._

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Lips pursed in confusion, Candice watches the scene from the break room. There's something different about the boys, something she can't quite put her finger on. 

Damon and Alaric are in his apartment at Whitmore discussing the Phoenix Stone. Damon's only wearing a white towel. Ric's snarking and bitching at the mess Damon's leaving all over the place. 

Then Bonnie makes her entrance and asks acidly if she's interrupting anything. Ric says no and then Damon drops his towel, throwing it in Ric's face. The camera pans down for a nanosecond before it goes back to Ric. 

She can't help but look - she's only human after all - and Ian's got a  _nice_  body. She flushes and tries to force her eyes away. That's when she catches Matt's expression. Naked, unbridled  _lust_  is the only way to describe it. 

It's none of her business what the boys do behind closed doors... But to say she wasn't expecting it would be the understatement of the century. Matt's such a man's man, Ian's the flirt. She looks again, deeper this time. Oh... Lust yes, but also sweet feelings, love maybe. Cute.

                                           ****************************

Tony picks them up at six. They get Burger King for dinner and take it home. 

"How's Matt?" Tony asks, eyes flicking to Ian's in the rearview. "Poor guy looks exhausted."

"Yeah. Julie really put him through his paces. It's like she doesn't care he's still on pain meds. Help me get him inside; he almost whacked me in the face with his crutches before."

Tony holds the front door open and Ian balances Matt against his own body to keep him upright. "We should put him straight to bed. He can microwave his food later. I've got a poker game tonight but Brad's available if you need him. I'll pick you up around two-ish tomorrow, okay?"

Brad is Tony's partner and Ian's bodyguard. He's built like a tank but he's a gentle giant. He was the one who'd had to separate Matt and Nina's foetus boyfriend in Italy. Ian rubs the tiny makeup covered scar on his forehead. He still hasn't forgiven her for that. 

Ian nods. "Sounds good, thanks Tony."

He moves the couch closer to Matt's bedroom door and switches on the news. He keeps the volume low and turns on the subtitles. He chows his way through a cold congealed Whopper combo and diet Coke and lets his mind drift. 

His phone goes crazy with Twitter notifications and he reads his fan letters via email. He has two text messages from Nina which surprises him. They're not exactly close these days. Her impromptu - fake - interview with that reporter in Italy still rankles. She'd lied about him; she'd lied about Matt, that's not what friends do. 

All he'd tried to do was protect her. Her toddler boyfriend had wanted to drive her home blind drunk. Ian couldn't allow that. The boyfriend had smacked him in the head with a broken beer bottle for his trouble. And instead of taking Ian's side, she'd taken his. 

This message is a  _sort of_ apology without taking actual responsibility. She asks if he and Matt want to catch up for a drink on Friday night. He replies that he'll think about it and she says she'll organise the others. She wants to make peace with Matt too. 

After dinner, he turns off the TV and has a shower in the downstairs bathroom. He tiptoes into Matt's room and climbs into bed, trying not to wake him. 

Matt stirs anyway, he seems to sense when Ian's close and he loves that. He glues himself to Matt's sleep sweaty body. He's still dressed; he'd been too tired when they got home. Ian gets up and takes his jacket off and unbuttons his jeans. He can't get them off without removing the moon boot but that will definitely wake Matt. 

Matt moans in his sleep and tries to help but only ends up making it worse. He's uncoordinated when he's tired and Ian can do without a fist to the face. Matt's fingers fumble with the moon boot strap and he falls off the bed. 

"You're like a drunken penguin." Ian laughs and heaves him to a sitting position. He takes off the dreaded moon boot and Matt's jeans, leaving him in just his boxer shorts. Manhandling him under the covers, he snuggles into his back. He sighs in contentment as Matt turns over and buries his head in Ian's neck. 

Sometimes he feels so breathless and Matt is an oxygen tank. He hates being away from him for any length of time. _Hates_ it. He has a Matt Davis addiction but he's still not ready to tell the world. Julie has no idea, just thinks Ian is his normal overprotective self. Candice has given him a few strange looks today but maybe she's got a lot on her mind. 

He breathes in faint traces of Matt's Hugo Boss cologne. That stuff turns him on like nothing else, it's like liquid pheromones. 

Matt moans in his ear and presses his half-hard cock against Ian's thigh.

He smirks against Matt's raspy cheek. "How tired are you?"

"Tired..." he mumbles. He grips Ian's hot fingers and presses them to his own cheek. "Persuade me."

Much as Ian would love to take him up on the offer, his friend's exhausted. They have all the time in the world; he doesn't need to rush this. He peppers kisses on Matt's sweaty palm, up his hairy wrist, all the way to his lips. "Go to sleep. I'll persuade you in the morning. Take advantage of that morning boner."

The next morning, Ian wakes to a clattering noise in the hall. He jumps up and pats the sheet. No Matt. _Shit_. He sprints outside and trips over a wayward crutch. 

"What the hell dude? It's six am. I thought you were gonna sleep in?"

Matt chuckles. "Gravity's against me. I feel like the Iron Giant in this damn moon boot. Help me up?"

Ian helps him hobble into the Tuscan style kitchen and plants him in front of the coffee machine. "I'll have a latte."

Matt wobbles over to the mug tree and puts Ian's cup in the machine first. "Things we do for love huh?"

"Yeah." Ian rolls his eyes. "Love." He opens a huge glass jar of Biscotti and hands Matt the biggest piece. With his giant latte in one hand, he curls his fingers through his hair. Matt is the best kind of drug. 


	3. Chapter 3

"It's still early," Matt says with a coaxing smile. "And I'm not tired anymore..."

Ian checks his watch. "We've got seven hours before Tony picks us up. How many orgasms do you think I can give you in that time?"

Matt's heart beats a staccato in his chest. "Wow. At least three if you're good."

" _If_   _I'm_  good? I'm freaking awesome." He shoots Matt a wicked Damon-like grin. "Race you back to bed..."

"That's _so_  not fair! I'm injured..."

"You've been milking that for weeks. Quit your complaining."

Matt slithers across the polished wooden floor of his bedroom and pokes Ian in the butt with his crutch. "Your move."

Ian launches himself on Matt, throwing him to the bed so hard he almost bounces off. "Now what? Tickle competition?"

"Unless you want me to piss the bed, no. You have five seconds to get me naked."

"Challenge accepted." He yanks Matt's t-shirt off so fast it rips and throws it into the hamper. "He shoots, he scores!"

Matt fumbles at his own pants but he's so goddamn horny he can't do it. "Help me."

Ian unwraps him like a gift and mouths his cock through his boxers. Pre-cum leaks through the silky material and Ian licks it off. "Yummy. Little salty though. Less beer, more veggies."

"Bite me."

"You know I never break my promises." He nips playfully on the pulsing vein on the underside of Matt's dick. "You're so wet..."

Matt rolls his eyes and widens his thighs. "I'm not a chick. Guys don't get wet."

"They do if you're doing it right." Ian waggles his eyebrows and laughs. "And I always do it right."

"Quit stalling, I'm gonna burst if you don't suck me."

Ian kneels between his open thighs and blows cool air on the shiny dart. "So pretty." He takes a tentative lick and pats his own chest. "Be still my beating heart."

"Pretty huh?"

"You know it Mr Davis. What would our fans say if they could see us now?"

Matt quirks a wispy eyebrow. "I don't think coherent sentences would be a thing. Probably just screaming and squealing if the cons are anything to go by."

"Agreed. Two hot guys thrashing naked together? What's not to love?" He whips the pillows out from behind Matt's head and chuckles. "One for your sore leg and one for your ass. I'm gonna plow you into the bed."

"Promises, promises," Matt murmurs. "Too much talking and not enough action. So much for your stellar reputation."

The next thing he knows, Ian's blunt teeth are digging into the soft skin of his neck. It's just like when Damon eats a bit-part character on set. He's never bitten Alaric - killed him twice - but never bitten him. He loses his train of thought as Ian cups his balls and gives it a gentle squeeze. 

His head tips back against the headboard, exposing his throat. "Ah!"

"So eloquent Mr Davis. You want more? I want moans. _Now_."

 Fists clenched at his sides, Matt complies and moans up a storm. Ian has the most talented fingers of anyone he's ever been with. The only thing that freaks him out is being bottom guy again. He's experienced it once in Italy and it hurt so bad he couldn't poop for days. 

Ian slithers down his body and sucks three inches of Matt's cock in his mouth. He undulates, grinding his own dick into the crumpled duvet.

Matt squirms, gasping as a wave of passion short-circuits his brain. His skin flushes hot and then cold before his hips jerk forward. Choking your lover isn't considered good etiquette but he can't help it. Ian's soft, plump lips skating his heated flesh blow his mind. 

Ian releases him with a pop and sits back with a self-satisfied smirk. Matt moans and gives him that _look_. The one that means, _'you're not gonna leave me high and dry again are ya?_ ' 

"Don't worry. I'm nowhere near done." He gives Matt a cock-flavoured kiss before opening his bedside drawer. "Lube break."

Matt wrinkles his nose. "Is that what I taste like?"

"As I said buddy, too much beer in your diet. Ready for phase two?"

Ten to one, phase two meant Ian inserting his giant fingers up Matt's unprepared ass. His hole flutters at the memory of Ian pounding him like a drum in their shared Italy apartment. 

"I think it's your turn."

"I know." He flops on his back and chucks the lube at Matt's face. "Be gentle with me."

"Wow. You trust me?"

"You know I do. Just lube me up good." Ian straddles Matt's hips and grimaces. "Close your legs a little. I'm not a circus acrobat."

"Not yet anyway." Matt chuckles and squirts two globs of lube over his cock. He parts Ian's butt cheeks, forcing the viscous liquid past his tight rim. "I'll be gentle."

The tightness is unbelievable. Ian's hole has his dick in a vice and he hasn't even got an inch inside yet. He knows he's big; his cock is fat and wide. Ian's is long and skinny with fur covered balls. Matt looks like a 70s porn star, Ian's always threatening to wax him. Boiling hot lava anywhere near his cock? Fuck that. 

Ian bites his bottom lip so hard he draws blood. "Ow, ow, ow..."

"I know. How'd you think I felt?" 

"Your giant dick is splitting me in half."

Matt chuckles, pulling back to give him a break. "Yours is so long I had nightmares I'd spit it out of my mouth."

"Now that's an image I can't erase. Thanks for that."

"Distractions are good."

Ian coughs and the vibration goes straight to Matt's dick. "Do that again."

"What, cough? Why?"

"I have an idea. Do you trust me?"

"Didn't I just answer that? Yes. I trust you."

"Good. Now cough."

"Why do I feel like I'm at the proctologist's?"

"Now."

This time, when Ian coughs, Matt grips his hips and tugs hard. His cock pops through the tight band of muscles and slides down to the base. 

Ian's lips widen in an 'O'. "Jesus fucking Christ!"

"I know, I know. But you did it; it won't hurt like that again. I popped your cherry," he says with a wicked un-Matt like grin. 

"I hate you." 

"You'll get over it. Hold me, I'm gonna move now."


	4. Chapter 4

Ian's ass hurts. It's a bone-deep ache, well, a boner-deep ache.  Matt is a big boy and his little trick was nasty. It was a Damon-like trick. His hands dig into Matt's slippery neck as his friend bounces him on his cock. He feels stupid and out of control but maybe that's the point.

He isn't lying, he does trust Matt but the lube isn't as wet as it once was. Matt's cock is chafing his insides and he kinda just wants it to be over. Is this how Matt felt?

Matt groans and flips him on his back like a turtle. He yanks Ian's sweaty thighs apart and thrusts deep. Matt saws in and out of his ass, head thrown back in ecstasy. A jackhammer springs to mind. 

He’s close; Ian can tell by the way his eyes crinkle at the corners. He clenches his muscles to hasten his own orgasm and fumbles with his floppy dick. He wants to tell Matt to find his prostate, it can't be _that_ hard to find.

Matt turns his glazed eyes on him. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"You didn't come."

He wants to say, ' _You didn't find my prostate. This is your fault_ ' but he doesn't. He'd give the sex a two out of ten; it's the cuddling and kissing he likes best. 

"Let's have a Jacuzzi," Matt says. "Wear shorts and don't sit on the jet."

"Thanks for that image." Ian turns the shower on full bore and rests his feverish head on the cold tile. His asshole feels a foot wide. He's gone from the dime-sized to an Olympic gold medal in the space of an hour. 

Matt slides in behind him and closes the shower door. "Come here buddy. I know."

"It gets better right?"

"Man, I hope so. If it doesn't we'll just stick with blowjobs. I'm happy just being close to you."

Ian perks up at this. "Sounds good. Maybe you should read a medical textbook."

"Because?"

"You didn't find my prostate."

Matt pulls him close and strokes his hair. "Day's not over yet."

He gives Matt a blowjob in the Jacuzzi, almost drowning himself in the process. Hey, there are worse ways to go. 

"Sperm floats," Matt says with a chuckle. "Who knew?" He tugs Ian onto his lap and plunders his mouth. "You taste like--"

"Grilled cheese?"

"I was gonna say cock but yeah, grilled cheese works."

"Doesn't chlorine counteract cock?"

"Come sit on my lap."

"I'll squash you."

"No you won't." 

Matt tugs down Ian's shorts and kicks them off with his foot. He hugs him against his hairy chest and strokes his spine. 

"That's nice," Ian says, dribbling into his neck. 

"I know." Matt presses his finger against Ian's pulsating hole and hugs him tight. "Just relax."

"If you can't find it when we're in bed, what makes you think you can find it in the pool?"

"Let's get out then."

"I didn't say that. Keep going."

"Now who's got character bleed?"

"I'm the driving force behind Damon's sarcasm."

Matt finds it two inches in. Ian squeaks and jerks his hips forward. He chuckles. "Death by cock. It won't fit in my belly button you know."

Ian groans. Can't concentrate on anything other than Matt's giant finger stroking a million nerve endings. His cock spews cum after two minutes and he moans into Matt's neck.  _This_  is more like it. If only Matt can coordinate his dick, he'll happily have sex all day long.

Thursday drags. Julie keeps demanding more and more of Matt, much to Ian's disgust. She doesn't seem to understand that just because the cast is gone, he's not fixed. Every moment she doesn't need him, he sleeps. On Friday, Candice is weird. 


	5. Chapter 5

Candice pops up out of nowhere and slings an arm round his shoulder. "You okay Matt? You look so tired. Here, put your feet up." The metal chair squeals as she hauls it across the concrete floor. She props his leg up on the seat and sits next to him on the couch. "Listen..."

She's touching his thigh. Not in a deliberate way, almost as if she doesn't know she's doing it. His cheeks flush and when he speaks, he stutters. 

"Listen what?"

"I'm a little worried about Nina."

"What about her?"

"She's one of my best friends," she says with a sigh. She catches Ian's eye from across the room and smirks. "She's over Carter now."

"Who's Carter?"

"Her boyfriend. The one from Italy."

He nods. He's not likely to forget _him_ in a hurry. The second the kid had smashed Ian in the head with that bottle, he'd seen red. He wanted to kill him. Was that when he'd fallen for Ian? 

"You okay?" She slides her hand up his thigh. "Look, I don't want to tell tales. It's just I want things to go well tonight." 

"Why wouldn't they?"

His cheeks feel so red he might burst into flames. Her hand is inches from his dick. Candice is a pretty girl; she must know what she's doing. The question is, why is she? She's never touched him like this before. And what's the big secret about Nina? The girl is a dedicated flirt. He can handle it.

Ian runs over and tugs Candice to her feet. "Julie wants you."

The second she runs off he sits beside him and gazes into his soul. "You okay? You look hot."

"Uh, thanks." Matt looks around nervously. Zach is two feet away. Granted he's reading his script but he could look up at any moment.

Ian snorts. "Flushed I meant. Is it too warm in here? I can ask them to turn down the heat."

"I'm okay."

"What was Candice saying?" He plants a possessive hand on Matt's shoulder and strokes his cheek. "Looked interesting."

And then it hits him. Ian's  _jealous_.

"She was just talking about how Nina dumped her baby boyfriend."

"What else?"

"That's all." Ian's caressing touches are making him lose it. He wants Ian's succulent lips around his dick. He wants to be in his arms. He _wants_ \--

"She doesn't have designs on you does she?"

"Who? Candice? She's married."

"Duh. I meant Nina." Ian leans in and whispers, "Hate to break it to you but you're mine."

"Okay," Matt says out loud. "Fine by me. Hey Zach, how's it going?"

Zach nods and tosses his script on the couch. "Exhausted but not as much as you. You're so pale." He ruffles Matt’s hair and Ian growls like a wolf. 

"You okay Ian?" Zach asks. "You don't have a cold do ya? It's goin' around. I have to talk to Julie; we'll have a proper talk tonight when she's not bustin’ my balls."

"Did you just  _growl_?" Matt asks when he leaves. "An honest-to-goodness growl… I'm impressed."

"There's something you don't know about me."

"I think I can guess. You're possessive." Matt lowers his voice to a whisper, "I'm with you because I want to be but I'm no one's possession."

"Noted." Ian pats his back in a platonic manly fashion. "One more hour and Tony will be here. You need more morphine?"

"Half. I'll see how I'm feeling tonight. Might have the rest before we go out."

"No drinking if you do."

"Why thank you, Doctor Somerhalder." Matt rolls his eyes. "Where would I be without you?"

Ian doesn't answer, just smirks. 

Tony drops them home at five and Matt takes his morphine to get rid of the ache. He doesn't let on how much it hurts because he wants to go out tonight. He's starting to get cabin fever. He and the moon boot hobble-walk to the fridge and he chucks Ian a beer.

"Careful, you almost made me drop my iPad."

"What're you watching," Matt asks lazily. "Porn?"

"Who needs porn when I have you?"

"Them’s fighting words. Are you picturing me naked?"

"I have a great imagination and an even better memory. What are you wearing tonight?"

"Most of my good clothes don't fit over this thing. I'm gonna take it off." 

"Let's try an experiment." Ian taps the seat next to him. "Take it off and walk over here."

"Is this a test?"

"Maybe I just want you to take it off..."

"The boot?"

"That too."

"You're so weird. If you want me to get my cock out all you have to do is ask."

"I think Candice wanted you to get your cock out in the studio..."

"No she didn't. I think she knows."

"About?"

"Us. I have a feeling all that groping today was part of an experiment. When we filmed the apartment scene and you got naked, I'm afraid I let my guard down."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I was staring at your cock for the brief second it was out."

"Oh. Were you?"

Matt snorts. "Hello? How could I not? You know you've got a gorgeous dick."

"Prove it. Suck me."

"I thought you wanted to test how well I can walk?"

"I can do both."

"Bad news, I'm too old to crawl around on the floor. Get your ass up and I'll blow you on the kitchen counter."

"Wow, now _I'm_ impressed..."

Matt strips off Ian's skin-tight black jeans and tugs him forward. He doesn't even kiss him first, just goes straight for the prize. He blows cool air on Ian's wrinkly ball sack and laughs.

"That's not how blowjobs work, you know that right?"

Ian's puckered hole winks at him like a near-sighted pirate. "You're all back to normal now."

"You can fuck me raw tonight, open it all up again."

"We'll take turns. I'll get the lube."

"You're not gonna fuck me on here are ya?"

"I’ll take strawberry sundae over sweaty dick any day."

"Now my feelings are hurt."

"Bite me."

"Fail," Ian says when he comes back. "You walked ten steps and you were limping the whole time. Keep the moon boot on. Wear big pants."

"Big pants make me look like a circus clown..."

"But a very, very cute circus clown... I kinda prefer it. You wear big pants I know girls aren't staring at your junk."

"Possession, party of one."

"That phrase is so old. Less talking, more sucking please."

"Please huh?" He licks and nibbles until Ian comes apart at the seams. He _loves_  this. Pleasuring Ian makes him so happy.

"Ugh God! I'm gonna cum!"

"God has nothing to do with it..." Matt says. "This is all me." He squeezes the thick base of Ian's dick. " _Now_  come."

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!"

Matt giggles. He loves that sound. Ian's sprays cum over the breakfast bar, the toaster and three apples in the fruit bowl. 

"You're like the poster boy for debauchery..."

Ian pants and chokes on a chuckle. "Kiss me."

"What an egomaniac. You like the taste of dick?"

"I love the taste of _your_ dick." Ian reaches for Matt's belt buckle. "It must be suffocating in there. Bring it here."

"Where it goes, I go." He drops his belt on the tiled floor and steps closer. "What're you gonna do?"

"You've been a bad boy, go to my room."

Matt rolls his eyes. "Another failed 90s pick-up line. I'll make you a deal; I'll let you bone me if I can wear my new jeans."

"You drive a hard bargain but fine. Help me up."

"You look hungry. Eat an apple."


	6. Chapter 6

In the end, they don't fuck. Ian jerks him off in the shower with a loose fist and murmurs sweet nothings in his ear. Matt watches his thick, sticky come circle the drain and slumps against Ian.

"Was that good?"

Matt nods, his dick is raw but he doesn't mind. "I'm wearing those new red jeans tonight. What're you wearing?"

"I'm going commando under black tailored pants. Does that make you horny?"

"Everything you do makes me horny and you know it."

"Like this?" He pinches the slit on Matt's cock and laughs. "You just jumped. Sensitive huh?"

"I don't have to explain what happens after sex. Now who needs to read a medical text book?"

They dry each other off and sit on the porch swing waiting for Tony. By the time he turns up, Matt's throbbing in his new red jeans. He stares at Ian's raw lips and smirks. He can give as good as he gets. 

He pops a morphine tablet in the car, chasing it with warm sparkling water. Ian doesn't notice, he's too busy chatting to Tony about the Atlanta Falcons. Matt doesn't care for sport; he'd rather read a good book or keep up with politics. 

At the bar - Tubby Tom's - their friends greet them with enthusiastic hugs and handshakes. Michael Malarkey tries to throw Ian over his shoulder. Matt does what he always does in uncomfortable social situations, pretends he's not there. 

Candice and Kat are up at the bar, heads pressed together talking over the loud hip-hop music. Someone pinches his butt from behind. He spins.  _Nina_. 

"Hey..." he says awkwardly.  "How are you?"

Is this what Candice is worried about? Three months ago he would've leapt at the chance for Nina to notice him. Now his heart belongs to someone else. Someone who's watching him like a hawk, ready to spring to his defence by the look on his face. 

She takes him outside to the beer garden. "Look Matt. I wanted to say sorry about Italy. Carter had no right to do what he did."

Matt rolls his eyes. "No shit. Do you know how sick I feel, every time I see Ian's scar? He was trying to protect you. How could you turn on him like that?"

She frowns and presses him against the fence. "I said I'm sorry. What else do you want me to do?"

"Look, I'm happy now. Let's go back to the party."

She splays her fingers over his shirt-covered nipple. "Can't we kiss and make up?"

"No. You need to apologise to Ian. Come back to me when you've done that."

He storms off, leaving her open-mouthed. It feels good. He's in control of his heart. She's still gorgeous but the sweetness is fake. Sad how life turns out sometimes. 

Candice hands him a Heineken. "Our table's ready. You okay?"

"I survived Nina's attempt at an apology if that's what you're asking."

She looks down at his pants, at his _junk_. "Good."

Why is she staring at him like that? He chugs his beer and forgets it as soon as he sees Ian's grin. They all squish in together at the table and he presses his thigh against Ian's. Two minutes later, he's hot and hard. His dick chafes against the seam of his tight pants. 

"How come you're drinking?" Ian whispers. "I thought we decided you're on the soft stuff."

"It's one beer, I'll be fine."

When Ian gets up to go to the bathroom, Nina squeezes in next to him. "I apologised. He says it's fine. Now can we be friends?"

"I'll think about it."

"Let me buy you a beer, please?"

He hesitates. She's trying and she did apologise. "Okay. Not a beer though, a Coke."

She nods happily and scurries off to the crowded bar. The barman ignores a line of grumpy middle-aged women and serves Nina first. It's rude but it's the way of the world. Pretty girls always win. 

The bathroom door swings shut and Ian slams into a bear of a man carrying a tray full of beers. Matt's on high alert but the guy just smiles and accepts a rolled up twenty dollar bill. 

"That was a close one," Ian says, squeezing in next to Matt. "Whose bag is this?"

"Nina's. Did she apologise to you?"

He nods. "Yeah. She wants to be friends. I said okay. Where is she?"

Matt rubs Ian's knee under the table. "Wanna go home?"

"Why, what happened? I saw her take you outside."

He's so horny he can barely stand it. He wants to whip his cock out and shove it between Ian's sultry lips. Fuck everyone else. He needs to come. His nipples pop at the memory of Nina's hand on his chest. Why now?

Nina makes a big scene of pushing between them, slopping Matt's coke on the table. Her butt is in his face, skirt hiked up to her waist.

He palms his cock and comes in his pants. "I have to go to the bathroom. Be right back."

He's not twelve years old anymore, something's wrong. He mops himself up with toilet paper and tries to aim his crotch at the hand dryer. It doesn't work. He sheds his jacket and ties it around his waist. 

Back at the table, Nina's holding court and talking with her hands. Matt orders a plate of Nachos and prays his pants dry soon. He's horny _again_. What the hell? 

Ian shoots him a look of concern. Matt shrugs; he can't do anything about it now. Under the table, Nina rubs Ian's thigh. He frowns, picks it up and shakes his head no. Matt wishes he could do that. He just freezes and feels so awkward he wants to die. 

Ian makes a big show of getting up and saying loudly, "Hey Nina. You don't mind switching places do you? Thanks."

She blushes and turns to Kat to carry on their conversation.

Matt wipes his cheesy fingers on a napkin and sighs. "Carb crash. I'm tired. Wanna leave soon?"

"No way, we're going to a club after," Michael says. "Ian promised me. You know I'm trying to get my music out to as many people as possible. I can't go alone." He widens his big brown eyes like a puppy. "Please?"

Ian strokes Matt’s palm. "Fine. We'll go for an hour or so."

Nina and Kat squeal at this news but Candice just rolls her eyes. "I feel like the mom of two annoying teenagers..."

"Well you are," Nina says, brown eyes shining with mirth. "How are the girls?"

"Doing well at school and Florence is just a dream. She's totally sleeping through the night now. Should've seen me last year, I had huge bags under my eyes."

Ian chuckles. "Well you look gorgeous now."

She slaps his arm. "Gee, thanks. You too buddy."

They share a minivan cab to the nightclub - Raging Rogers - and pile inside. Flashing strobe lights pierce Matt's brain, he's always hated clubs. 

Michael chats up a slim woman at the bar and hands her a CD. This must be one of his many conquests or a potential producer. He gives CDs out all the time to pretty women. 

The House music is so loud Matt's blood pumps in time with the beat. He spots a familiar face outside, Marcus, one of the tech guys from set. Marcus crushes him with a weird one-armed hug and offers him a cigarette. 

Matt hesitates. He knows how addictive cigarettes are but... "Sure. One won't hurt right?"

"Who's here with you?" Marcus asks. "I'm with Bella Grange, you know her right?"

"I'm with the cast, Ian's inside with Michael and the others."

"I heard a rumour you're dating Nina Dobrev." Marcus smacks his back with the force of the Tasmanian devil. "You dog!"

"I'm not. Who told you that?"

"She did."

"She who?"

" _Nina_. Are we on the same page? You look pale buddy, you okay?"

Marcus' voice distorts and black spots swim in front of his eyes. He reaches out for help and a strong arm grabs his...


	7. Chapter 7

Ian's dancing with Kat in a crowd of gyrating night clubbers. She yells something he doesn't catch and he shakes his head. 

She rolls her eyes and tugs his head down to her mouth. "Where's Matt?"

Candice comes running, slipping on the shiny wooden floor and almost falling on her ass.

Ian grabs her before she falls and laughs. "One too many vodkas?"

"Matt's in trouble!"

Ian's hackles rise. Last he checked his friend was outside with Marcus. He's not there now, no one is. The parking lot is dark and empty. 

"Where is he?"

Candice points to a bank of couches over by the far wall. "Go, now!"

Ian sprints over in time to see Nina grinding herself on Matt's lap. Worse, his pants are undone and he's out of it. Nina's delicate fingers make Matt’s dick look even more gigantic than it usually does.

He yanks her off so hard she falls to the floor like a tragic ballerina. Her short skirt flies over her head baring black crotchless panties to the world. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he screams in her face.

She gets up and brushes herself off. "What the hell is your problem?"

"You are! What did you do?" Ian freaks. He hugs Matt's limp body to his chest and texts Tony with his free hand. 

"I didn't do anything!"

"You're a goddamn liar. Get out of my sight before--"

"Before you what? Hit me? That'll look wonderful on social media."

"Get lost.  _Now_."

Candice blanks Nina and sits next to Ian. She brushes Matt's sweaty hair away from his forehead and sighs. "We should take him outside. I need to talk to you."

Together they manhandle Matt outside the club and lean him against the wall. Where's Tony? It's been at least ten minutes. Candice has tears in her eyes and she keeps biting her lip.

"What's wrong?"

She takes a deep breath and says, "I'm not a hundred percent sure but I think she drugged him."

Ian's incredulous. "With what?"

"I don't know. Something blue."

"You saw her and you didn't tell me?"

"She said it was a party drug and she put it in her own beer. I had no idea--"

Ian sucks in a breath and holds it. It's not Candice's fault. Maybe this party drug is playing havoc with Matt's morphine. 

"Hang on, I'll get her bag. Wait there," she says.

Matt's eyes fly open and he pukes on his own feet. 

Ian rubs his back. "How much did you drink tonight?"

"One beer. That's it."

Ian hates Nina with a passion so strong he wants to kill her. How dare she treat Matt like a walking dildo? 

Matt wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "I'm horny."

"Oookay. I wasn't expecting that."

Hugging his lover on a public street corner won't win him any favours with the media. Splotches of red and white mar Matt's cheeks and his eyes look bright and glassy. What did Nina give him?

"Can we go home?"

"We're just waiting for Tony. Keep it together buddy."

Candice runs outside with Nina's black Gucci handbag. "She gave him Viagra. Stupid bitch. It shouldn't make him pass out though."

"He's on morphine still for his leg. I think it reacted with the beer."

Tony's black Crown Vic screeches to the kerb and he dives out. "What's going on?"

"Tell you in the car." Ian turns to Candice. "You need a ride?"

She shakes her head. "No. Joe's coming to get me. You guys go ahead."

"We're not leaving you here alone. Tony can get Matt in the car; I'll wait until he comes."

Viagra. It's so stupid. Why would she? It's not like Matt has erectile dysfunction. He gets hard all the time. How old does she think he is for Pete's sake? 

"I'm so sorry," Candice whispers. "I never thought she'd do something like this. She mentioned a prank but--"

"She likes pranking people; I know that better than most. But this, _this_ goes way beyond a simple prank. She could've really hurt him. And why does she even--"

"Want him?" Candice shakes her head and smirks. "I know her. She wants things, people, whatever, on her terms. I felt so bad for him in Italy. She knew how much Matt liked her but she enjoys the chase. I'll talk to her."

"I never want to see her again."

"You won't have to for awhile. Keep him safe." She kisses Ian’s cheek before opening Joe's passenger door. "Call me."

Tony drives them home and Ian explains what's happened. 

"He'll be fine. One beer versus one morphine tablet will make him sick and giggly but that's all. Once he sleeps it off he'll be fine. There's something else, isn't there?"

"Nina drugged him with Viagra, what does that do?"

Tony chuckles. "Do I really have to explain that?"

"No. I mean I know what it does but how will it affect him with the morphine? Come on Mr Ex-EMT, give me your expertise."

"If it hasn't gone down in four hours we'll take him to the medical room. It's rare though, I don't think it'll be a problem. Want me to stay?" Tony asks outside Ian's house. "I can if you want."

Ian shakes his head. "I'll call if I need you. Thanks man."

"What are friends for?" Tony winks and helps Ian get Matt inside. "Stay clear of coffee, just give him water. We need to dilute the drugs effect."

Inside the kitchen, Ian fills a drink bottle with ice cold water from the fridge. Matt's neck is hot and sweaty and he's hard in his jeans. It's gotta be uncomfortable. He dresses him in boxers and a clean cool t-shirt and switches on the TV. 

Matt squirms on the couch and burrows into Ian's lap. "Horny..."

"I know buddy."

Guilt gnaws his insides. He should've been watching him. When had he taken the morphine, in the car? Candice had given him one beer at the restaurant and he'd eaten as well. 

"Did Nina buy you a drink?"

"Coke. Why?"

"She drugged you. That's why you're so horny."

"Wait, what?"

"Viagra. You know I'd never turn down a chance to make you come but it doesn't feel right. You're under the influence."

"Explains the gross taste. I thought she got me diet by accident."

Ian hugs him and strokes his back. "Can you remember when you first started feeling weird?"

"The restaurant. I came in my pants. That's why I had to rush off to the bathroom."

"Why didn't you tell me? I would've taken you home."

Matt shrugs. "Didn't want to ruin your night. Besides, we haven't been out in months. I wanted to see people. Look Ian, I'm a big boy. I knew it was risky to mix morphine with beer. It’s my fault."

Ian's heart skips a beat at 'big boy'. He is, and he's so horny right now. Wouldn't it be more compassionate to put him out of his misery? He wants to, he really does but it still feels wrong. 

"Let's watch a movie. You can pick."

He watches Matt stand in front of the DVD cabinet and chokes when he turns sideways. His boxers are sticking out a mile. Does it hurt? Ian's never taken Viagra before, what does it feel like?

Matt crows with delight and bends down in front of the player. "I love this movie."

"What did you pick?"

"It's a surprise." He grins and sprawls across Ian's lap. "You'll love it."

The credits and soundtrack for Taken start rolling and Ian laughs. "Gee, this one again?"

"I like it." Matt squirms and fondles his own dick. 

"Liam Neeson gets you off?"

"You do but since you're not interested..."

"Who said I'm not interested?" Ian tugs Matt's dick out of the hole in his boxers. "Wow. You feel like velvet covered steel."

Matt groans and squeezes his eyes shut. "Harder. Faster.  _Please_."

"You have no idea how much I want to fuck you right now."

"What's stopping you?"

"You're under the influence. It's not right."

Matt plants Ian's hand on his hard and leaking cock. "Help me. It hurts."

Ian's heart flutters. How can he ignore Matt's plea? He grabs the lube from the kitchen counter and slicks his cock. "Take your boxers off and come here."

Matt straddles him and groans into his neck. "Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

"I need to prep you first. Just breathe and concentrate on me." He slides his lube-covered fingers into Matt's tight hole. He scissors him open with two fingers and then grabs his sweaty hips. "Ready?"

Matt pants so hard it sounds like he's sobbing. "Do it now, please!"

Ian plunges his cock inside him in one thrust and moans like a porno star. This is amazing. Matt's relaxed and willing but so, so tight. He holds him close with one arm and uses the other to jerk him off. 

Matt's sucking his lip. This is new. He only does it when they have sex. Is it a comfort thing? He bounces him on his dick a few times before flipping him on his back. 

"W-What are you doing?" Matt mumbles. "It's not deep enough this way."

He knees in front of Matt's quivering thighs and yanks them over his own hips. "This is better. More room to jerk you off this way." Ian plows him like a cornfield, pistoning his hips like a jackhammer. 

"Uh, uh, uh!" Matt grunts hard and arches his back. "More!"

He finds Matt's sweet spot and claws the sweaty creases of his thighs. Ian’s heart is beating out of his chest. He fists Matt's cock, milking it for cum. 

Matt keens low in his throat and screams out his orgasm. Jets of milky white sperm splatter Ian's cheeks, his lips and Matt's own chest. He keeps jerking him long after he's popped his cock out. 

"Feel my heart," Matt mumbles, pressing Ian's hand to his chest. " _Feel_  it."

"I can. You feel better?" Ian's worried. Matt's still hard. It's like they never had sex at all. Is this a side effect of the Viagra or is he just plain horny?


	8. Chapter 8

Matt wants to cry. His dick hurts, not to mention his ass. "Why isn't it going down?"

Ian frowns and blinks back tears. "Stay here buddy. I have an idea." He rinses a dish towel in cold water and dumps a tray of ice cubes inside. It worked in Italy, it could work now. 

"What's that for?"

Ian drops a kiss on his mouth and smirks. "This is gonna be cold."

Matt yelps and then settles as he gets used to it. "Nice."

"I know."

"What are you thinking? You look like Damon when the monster of the week has Stefan."

"How much I want to kill Nina, not a plot point that Julie would like."

Matt laughs. "I guess she's not used to having someone reject her."

"It's not funny. She sexually assaulted you."

"Drugging someone with Viagra sucks but it isn't assault."

"What would you call it then?"

"Our little secret. The media would have a field day. It'd embarrass me way more than her. Like you said, we have to think of our careers."

"What would Damon do?"

"Eat her probably." Matt scratches his stomach and yawns. "I think it's going down now. Let's go to bed."

                                   ********************************

Ian wakes first on Saturday morning. He goes for a quick run around the house, along the lake and past Tony's cottage. 

Matt's comment from last night rankles. He knows he was the one so focused on his career but it hurts. Matt's important to him, his feelings are important. He loves him. Shouldn't he come first?

Ian showers and dresses in a blue cotton t-shirt and shorts. He makes two lattes and takes one in to Matt. "Wakey, wakey..."

Matt groans and shields his eyes against the sun. "You're bright-eyed and bushy tailed. What time is it?"

"Time to get up. How'd you feel?"

"Raw, sticky and a little bit gross."

"Well you look amazing." He leans down and drops a kiss on Matt's slightly sour lips. "Once you brush your teeth I'm happy to ravage you."

"You're so picky. Is that coffee mine?"

"Shower first."

"Why? It'll get cold."

"That's what the microwave is for. Want me to scrub your back?"

A slow smile creeps across Matt's face. "Yeah."

"Good. We need to talk about our relationship."

The smile vanishes. "What?"

"I didn't mean it like that. Your leg is almost healed. What do you want to do about our living situation?"

Matt hunches his shoulders and shuffles into the bathroom. "You wanna kick me out?"

"You know I don't. I know you like your independence."

"Can I stay with you?" He dumps a blob of shampoo on his head and rubs it hard. "Otherwise you can come house hunting with me."

Ian strips and turns up the shower. Matt always prefers the water warm rather than hot. He gives him a mini-Mohawk with the shampoo and plunders his mouth. Who cares if he hasn't brushed? He's happy for Matt to stay with him but he's worried about keeping it from the world. Especially after last night. What if someone finds out? It's not just himself he's worried about. 

"God you're gorgeous," Ian whispers to Matt's soapy neck. "You don't still have the Viagra hanging around do you?"

"Nope. That's all me."

They stay pressed together until the hot water runs out. Matt's hot enough for both of them. Still wet and slippery from the shower, he plants himself on Matt's lap. They rock their cocks together and hug. Ian doesn't ever want to move. "I love this. Love you."

It's only the second time he's said it, he's not real big on demonstrative PDAs. But it's true, he does love Matt, last night was the proof of it. 

"Aw..." Matt jokes. "You love me huh? I love you right back."

They roll together on the bed, kissing and laughing and loving until the phone rings. It's Tony. He tells Ian he's got a family emergency but that Brad will be around. 

"What was that about?" Matt says, sipping his coffee buck naked on the couch. "Is Tony okay?"

"Family emergency he said. Brad's around in case you need wrangling."

"Me? You're the bad one. Jeez, it's going off again."

"That's yours dummy. Where did you leave it?" Ian hunts around the bedroom and finds it in Matt's shoe. "This is a change of pace. You never let that thing out of your sight."

Matt gives him the fingers and scrolls through his messages. He frowns, wrinkles his nose and jams it in his shorts pocket. 

"Who was that?"

Matt shrugs. "Nina."

"What does she want?" Ian says, hands clenched into fists at his side. 

"I'm pretty sure she was drunk texting me. She says I'm hot for an old guy."

Blinding rage hits Ian like a truck. "I'm gonna kill her."

"It's not worth losing your mind over. Come over here, kiss me. You're wearing your possessive face again. Quit it."

"She can't have you, you're taken."

"There it is. Get your butt over here Mr Jealousy."

A spike of desire twists Ian's guts. He's not possessive by nature, what is it about Matt that makes him feel like that?

"Don't retreat into your own mind. It's a scary place in there. Where's my hug?"

"With your coffee."

"Microwaved hugs. Wonderful."

They sixty-nine on the crumpled covers of Matt's bed. This is awesome but it's hard to concentrate. He feels kinda rude with his butt in Matt's face but at least he's clean. 

"You're hurt," Ian says between licks. "There are scratches on your dick. Did I do that?"

In response, Matt pokes his tongue into Ian's slit. Ian forgets his question and his purpose on the planet. Oh yeah, that's right. He's sucking his boyfriend's cock. Declaration of love aside, it's the first time he's called him that. At least it's only in his own mind; he hasn't voiced it to Matt yet. 

Matt pushes him off and yanks him up the bed. "My turn."

"Your turn...?"

"To make love to you."

"Make love huh? Why not whoopee?"

"Bite me," Matt says, blushing like a beacon. 

"I love it. Want a pillow under your leg?"

"Nah. It's okay. Top or bottom?"

Ian's mind screams, ' _top, top, top_ '. "Your choice."

"I saw that face Mr Somerhalder. Guess you're playing the bottom role today."

Ian pouts and and kicks the duvet off. He stretches, poking a sharp toenail into Matt's ankle. "Where do you want me?"

"I'm heavier than you. Come sit on my lap and we'll talk about the first thing that pops up."

Ian belly laughs. "When did that line last work?"

"Some time in the 90s. Don't knock it. Get over here, I'm horny."

Ian scoots down the bed and spreads his legs. "Lots of lube, tons. Promise?"

"If you don't want to--"

"I do, it's just scary."

"If it makes you feel any better, I scoured the internet for the exact location of the prostate gland. I'm practically a doctor."

"Doctor Davis," Ian says, waggling his eyebrows. "Sounds so sexy."

Matt sticks out his tongue and lubes up one finger. He gently circles Ian's puckered hole until it flutters open of its own accord. 

"Mmm... Feels good. Keep going."

Matt slides his finger in up to the first knuckle and wiggles it around. Ian's moans are setting his heart on fire. His channel is slick, hot and so fucking tight his finger vacuums inside. By the time he's got two in there, Ian's pushing back against his fingers.

"Okay, go for it. I'm ready."

Watching his face for pain, Matt works his dick in an inch at a time. It takes five whole minutes to bottom out and two more to move. He massages Ian's tight thigh muscles and thrusts gently. "You okay?"

"Ask me in ten minutes..." He yelps. "Oh my fucking God. I think you found it!"

"Doctor Davis found your prostate. I should get a gold medal for that."

Ian groans. "How are you coherent right now?"

"How are you? I'm pounding you like a tribal drum."

"Funny." 

"Wanna hear something funny?"

He groans, loudly. "Ow, oh Jesus!"

"I'll take that as a yes." Matt wipes sweat off his face and chuckles. "Remember the fan fiction we read in Italy? Our fans think your cock is ten inches long. They think mine defies the laws of physics..."

"Shut up and fuck me."

He grins wickedly and pounds him harder. He hits Ian's prostate on every second stroke, he's not perfect. Beads of sweat drip down his sides, his nose, his ass crack... 

Ian curses up a storm before flailing and coming like a fire hose. 

"Better?"

He growls as Matt's gigantic cock tugs his insides out. "Owwww..."

Matt chuckles and smoothes cool green gel on his hole. "Found this in your bathroom cabinet..."

"What is it?"

He shrugs. "Toothpaste?"

"What?"

"Joke, just a joke." He holds his arms out for a hug and Ian lobs the lube at his head. "Okay, no hug for me then."

"I'm still waiting for my limbs to respond. Come down here."

Matt snuggles next to him and lays his head on Ian's chest. He splays his hand over his heart. "Wow. Did I do that?"

"Your cock did."

Ian's cell rings as they're getting out of the shower. "Hello?"


	9. Chapter 9

"It's me."

Ian rolls his eyes. "Hi Satan, I didn't realise you made personal calls."

Matt quirks an eyebrow and mouths 'Nina?' 

He nods and rubs the towel over Matt's wet hair. "What do you want?"

"Can I speak to Matt?"

"He doesn't want to speak to you."

"You didn't even ask him..."

"After what you did last night, he never wants to speak to you again."

"What did I do?"

"Hello, Viagra. Why am I even talking to you?"

"I spoke with Candice. Let me say this, I did  _not_  drug Matt with Viagra. Why the hell would I?"

"She saw party drugs in your bag. Blue ones."

"Nuh-uh, they were white. Is he okay?"

"I don't believe you. Why would Candice say you had Viagra if you didn't? She's not as crazy as you. What prank was she talking about then?"

Nina goes quiet for a whole minute. 

"Hello? What prank Nina?"

"I was going to streamer his car, that’s all I swear.”

He laughs. "What?"

"I'd never hurt Matt. Okay, he pissed me off when he wouldn't accept my apology but that's an awful thing to do. Please, put him on."

"Just a sec." He holds the phone in front of his chest and kisses Matt's cheek. "You wanna talk to her? She says she didn't drug you. Maybe you can get her to tell the truth."

Matt nods and takes the phone into the kitchen. Ian lets him have his privacy. What hurts most is Nina lying to him; they even dated at one point. He can't imagine why she'd drug Matt anyway. Was it a crime of opportunity? Or is she telling the truth?

"She says she left her bag unattended at the restaurant."

"Doesn't explain her behaviour. What else did she say?"

"She wants to meet with me one-on-one."

Ian's nose wrinkles. "I don't like it."

Matt laughs and pinches Ian's lips closed. "Remember I'm a big boy. If I can't defend myself against Nina..."

"I'll drive you. Where does she want to meet?"

"I can drive."

"Your leg's still weak. Why don't you ask Brad to take you if you don't want me along?"

"I didn't say that. It's not that I don't want you to come, it's that I can look after myself."

"Okay, okay." He holds his arms up in surrender. "Do what you want."

Matt gives him his favourite pissed off Alaric expression. "And don't follow me."

"Fine." He calls Brad and asks him to take Matt for a drive. He texts him once they've left, he's not that trusting. 

Brad calls him twenty minutes later breathless and scared. He's never heard him like this. 

"What? What's wrong?"

"I lost them. One second he was standing in front of Starbucks, the next he disappeared."

"You lost them? You're a bodyguard!"

"It wasn't Nina. It was some blonde chick."

"Candice?"

"Nope. I know her. This one was way chubbier. Should I call the cops?"

"I'll meet you there. I'll try his phone. Hang tight buddy."

Ian drives like a maniac through the streets of Covington. Familiar landmarks blur past while he tries to keep his heart in his chest. A chubby blonde? They don't even know any chubby blondes...

He calls Candice from the car. "Hey, have you spoken to Nina lately?"

"Yes. Two minutes ago, why?"

"Do you know where she is?"

"In a sleeping bag on the floor of my living room. What's going on Ian?"

"She just rang me. She said she wanted to meet Matt at Starbucks. Now I can't find him, he's missing!"

"Calm down, calm down. Start from the beginning. Nina hasn't left my side since last night. Her phone's flat. Did you see her number come up?"

"I don't know." Ian paces up and down the kitchen. "I can't remember. Know any chubby blondes?"

Candice goes quiet. "There was one last night at the restaurant. Mandy her name was. She works behind the bar. Michael was talking to her."

"How come you know so much?"

She snorts. "She was chatty as hell. I had trouble getting away. Ian..."

"What?" He jams his feet in his sneakers and grabs his car keys. 

"She made the drinks last night..."

"What are you saying?  _She_  drugged Matt with Viagra? She doesn't even know him."

"Uh, that's not strictly true. She pointed him out and asked me to introduce her. I said no because of you."

"Okay. I'll call you soon. I'm meeting Brad at Starbucks."

"I should come too. I know what she looks like, you don't."

He wants to protest but he doesn't. Matt's safety is paramount. "Text me when you're there. It's the one on Jackson Street. I'm ten minutes away."

Ian's heart is in his throat the whole way there. Is Mandy a deranged fan?  What does she want with him? An autograph? Matt's phone goes straight to voicemail, it's off. What scares him the most is how she faked Nina's voice. It sounded _exactly_ like her. 

He punches in the number of the bar and an angry-sounding Texan answers. "What?"

"Is Mandy there?"

"Who wants to know?"

Ian panics and stalls the car. "Uh... She wanted me to meet her at Starbucks."

The voice softens. "Is this Matthew?"

How does this guy know that? Is he Mandy's father? Sure sounds like it. He knows Matt's _name_... What the fuck is happening?

"Yeah."

"Hang on son, I'll track her phone." He hears a clunk and the line goes silent. "Okay... She's just on Jackson Street now. Red Corvette, you can't miss it."

"Thanks!" Ian hangs up in the guy's ear and starts the car. He speeds down Jackson Street and there it is, right where he said it would be. Bad news, it's empty and Matt's phone is on the front seat. Ian thumps the Corvette's steering wheel and curses up a storm. 

"I'm here, I'm here!" Candice comes running up to him followed by Brad. 

His bodyguard is yanking his bushy beard one strand at a time. "Any news?"

"I just spoke to Mandy's dad, or at least I think he is. He tracked her phone but it doesn't help. She left it here." Ian groans and blinks back tears. If anything happens to Matt he won't be able to forgive himself. "What the hell do we do?"

Candice clutches his arm and gasps. "Oh my god! There she is! She just ducked into that cafe. Let's go!"

Brad holds her back. "Don't even think about it. We're not separating."

"We're  _losing_  her. You stay with Candice, I'll be fine."

"That's what Matt said, quit it Ian. Listen to me." Brad slides his gun out of his holster. "Stay back and let me go first."

Ian gives him a one second head start before sprinting across the busy street to the cafe. It's empty. There's a dark haired girl behind the counter icing cupcakes. "Hey, did you just see a blonde chick come in here?"

The girl jumps and brandishes a spatula. "What?"

"Blonde chick. It's not that hard. She just ran in here."

"You're my first customer. I'm alone."

He growls and spots a door behind the counter. "Where does that go?"

"Parking lot?"

Ian barrels through the door and grabs a knife from the drainer. If she's hurt Matt he'll kill her. Footsteps squeak on the floor behind him, Brad and Candice no doubt. 

He falls over a faded yellow bike by the back door and goes down hard. His foot's caught in the chain. He twists over on his back just in time to see the girl with a baseball bat. 

"Fooled ya." She whacks him in the head with it and everything goes black. 

********************************************

The dark haired girl smirks in the mirror and tugs off her wig. She leaves her apron on the counter and locks the front door. She pulls the blinds down and drags her new prisoner down a flight of stone steps to the basement. She locks it, pockets the key and padlocks it. The real worker is down in the basement with Matt. She better not try anything, Matt is  _hers_. 

People are so gullible. She knows who he is of course, Ian Somerhalder. You'd have to be living under a rock not to recognise him. She's been a fan of the Vampire Diaries since season one. Matt's first appearance, History Repeating, was when she discovered her true purpose in life. Mandy Davis, it sounds wonderful.  

Someone hammers on the glass. She dons the wig and peers round the door. It's a beefy guy with a bushy beard and the girl from the restaurant. They don't recognise her. "We're closed. Gas leak."

"Who are you?" the beefy guy asks. "Did you see someone come in just now?"

"I'm alone. I'm just waiting for my manager."

The blonde chick - Candice, that's her name - frowns. "If there's a gas leak how come you're still in there? Shouldn't you be outside with us?"

Mandy falters. Damn her and her logic. "Someone reported a gas leak. I can't leave until my manager comes. Excuse me."

"Wait." The beefy guy grips the door with a white-knuckled hand. "I need to come in."

"Fine. Search away." She steps aside to let him past. Her heart thumps in her chest as he checks behind the counter and the parking lot. She's tempted to whack him too but it's better if she lets him leave. She's not sure it would work anyway, the guy is huge. Candice stays outside with her cell glued to her ear. 

"What's behind this door?"

Mandy shrugs and adopts a bored expression. "I don't know. Office maybe? I don't have the key for it, I'm only part-time."

"What's your manager's name?" The beefy guy shakes the doorknob but it doesn't budge. "Where can I reach her?"

"Him. His name's Tim Steele." She prides herself on being able to lie at the drop of a hat. He's buying it. Any second now he'll leave her alone to complete her mission.

"What's his number?"

Mandy sighs and rolls her eyes. "He's on his way. He won't be long. Can you wait outside? I don't wanna get in trouble for letting you in. It goes against our code."

"I can't smell gas."

"So? I'm just doing what I'm told. Please leave."

Candice leans around the door. "Brad, I need you."

Saved by the blonde. Mandy locks the door behind them and unlocks the basement door. It's show time.

                  *****************************************


	10. Chapter 10

Ian groans and rubs his head. What just happened? 

A soft hand touches his arm in the dark. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" he counters. Where's Matt? Is this his abductor? Is this Mandy? 

"Stella. Some crazy chick knocked me out and pushed me down here. Me and a guy."

"Where is he?"

"It's pitch-black down here. I don't know. Somewhere. I heard him groan before."

"Matt? Where are you buddy? Talk to me." Ian gropes his way across the dusty floor and bangs into something metal. Feels like a cage. Where's his phone? He needs to call for help. 

"Ow..."

It's coming from his right. Three feet over, he finds a shoe. Thank god. He runs his fingers up Matt's leg until he makes contact with his chest. Matt's heart flutters under Ian's probing fingers and he swallows down nausea. He's okay. 

"So who are you?" Stella says. "And who's that crazy bitch upstairs?"

"Ian. He's Matt. My bodyguard's around somewhere. He'll get us out of crazyville."

"You have a bodyguard? Who are you?"

He ignores her. Has no desire to tell her his whole life story. She'll find out soon enough. "Matt? Wake up buddy."

"Ow."

"You said that. Can you sit up? Move towards the sound of my voice."

Boxes fall to the ground then Matt hugs his neck. "Hurts."

"What happened? Did you get the baseball bat treatment too?"

"I can't find my phone."

"I'm not surprised. I found it in the front seat of her Corvette. If luck's on our side I'll still have mine."

Stella snorts. "Won't do you any good. There's no service down here."

"Wonderful."

"And worse, my battery's dying."

"Chuck it here; I might be able to use it to find mine."

She slides it over, its dim screen providing enough light to see her terrified face. She gasps. "Oh my god, you're Ian Somerhalder!"

He squats in front of Matt to protect him. "Sure am. This is not a stunt. We're all in a crazy chick's lair."

"Some lair. I found a box of cupcake mix if we get desperate."

Using her phone as a beacon, he scans the floor. No phone. He finds the knife he grabbed though, not that it helps. With his back to Stella, he shines the phone in Matt's face. No damage apart from an egg-sized lump on the back of his scalp. He silently presses his lips to Matt's cheek. "Brad's upstairs. He'll save us."

"I'm an idiot."

"I know," Ian says jokingly. "What the hell made you go anywhere with her?"

"She said Nina was running late."

"Why the hell did you leave Brad?"

"Had to go to the bathroom. Is that okay with you?"

Matt's snark is back, it comforts him. "No. It's not."

"Nina Dobrev? Oh my god, you're Matt Davis..." Stella says in a breathy voice. "I can't wait to tell everyone I met you two!"

"I'll give you a thousand dollars if you don't."

She snorts. "Not worth it."

"What do you make an hour?"

"Ten bucks."

"I'm offering you a hundred hours of work for free..."

"Still not worth it. Pass my phone, I have to pee."

"Wonderful."

"Me too," Matt whispers into his neck. "Nervy bladder."

Light blares into their eyes as the basement door opens and footsteps scrape on the steps. 

"Hold it, we're saved."

Matt clutches his arm. "I don't think so..."

It's the girl, Mandy, but this time she's not dark. Her real hair is platinum blonde and curly. She smirks. "Well isn't this nice? Three rats in a trap."

Ian growls and pushes Matt behind his back. "I'll give you ten thousand dollars if you let us all go."

"Hey!" Stella says, affronted. "How come she gets ten?"

"Because she's a psycho. Crime pays."

She makes a break for the door and Mandy punches her in the nose. "Blood is so messy. Unless you guys want the same treatment, you'll do as you're told."

"What do you want?"

She blinds him with the flashlight and jerks her thumb towards Matt. "Him. You can't buy me. I'm not for sale."

"Nor is he."

Where the hell is Brad? She's left the door wide open. He's torn between making a move and protecting Matt. Mandy's a big girl and she can obviously fight but she can't take them both. 

She yanks his head back and laughs like a movie villain. "He's mine."

"You won't win him that way, he hates possessive people."

"Hey!" Matt smacks Ian's arm. "You can't win me at all. I'm taken."

"Oh really? Who by? What's her name?"

Matt mouth opens under his hand and Ian pinches his leg. The last thing they need is honesty. 

Stella groans in the corner and more boxes fall. "Help..."

"That was your own fault. I'm in charge here, not you." Mandy snatches Stella's phone and pockets it. "There's no cell service down here." She shines her flashlight at her own chin. "I'll make you a deal. I'll even give you a choice."

"Sounds promising. What kinda deal?"

"Matt has to kiss someone in this room. If he picks the right person, I'll let you go."

"And if not?"

"How many choices are there? But for the sake of argument, if he picks the wrong person, I'll stab you. Or Stella."

Matt groans. "Why do I feel like I'm at a nightmare slumber party?"

"Decide!" Mandy's shout echoes around the basement. "Now."

"Jesus. Just kiss her already. I'll wash your mouth out with soap after."

Matt laughs. "Industrial strength I hope."

Mandy swipes the knife so close Ian hears it whiz past his ear. "Assholes! This isn't a game."

Matt stumbles to his feet. "Fine. One kiss. No tongue."

She changes from a Bengal tiger to a sweet little kitty cat in front of their eyes. "I want you so badly I can taste it."

Ian feels sick. How can she make one little sentence sound so wrong? Matt's lips are _his_. He wants to punch that stupid smug look off her face. Fuck it; he wants to rip her head off. 

Stella crawls to his side. "Protect me and I promise I won't tell anyone I saw you."

"Done. Stay behind me." He watches them like a hawk. Where the hell is Brad? Why isn't he coming to save them? 

                               ******************************

 

Mandy hugs herself with delight. Matt kisses just like she imagined. Soft and sweet and she's pretty sure he just whimpered into her mouth. 

"Okay, he kissed you," Ian says, pushing him behind his back. "Now let us go."

"It's not that simple."

Stella starts to cry. "I knew she was lying."

Mandy circles them like a lion hunting its prey. "Choose who I let go."

"Matt or Stella. I'll stay with you."

"No, you or Stella. Matt stays with me."

Ian throws his hands up in disgust. "For how long? You can't keep him here forever."

"Can't I?"

"You realise we're in a pastry store. Even if we have to stay here all night someone will eventually find us."

Mandy snorts and kicks Ian’s knee hard. "You mean that beefy guy upstairs? He's long gone. Him and your little blonde friend."

He rubs his stomach and grimaces. "What did you tell him?"

"That someone reported a gas leak. He came in and had a look around. Then your friend called him outside and I locked the door."

"He's a bodyguard not an idiot. He knows we came in here and the parking lot is surrounded by a huge locked gate."

"Some bodyguard," she says, chuckling. "Even your friend didn't recognise me. We talked for fifteen minutes last night."

"I wouldn't underestimate her; she's smarter than she looks."

Mandy wrinkled her nose. "She almost caught me out with the gas leak story. Take off your shirt."

"Me?"

"Duh. Matt. Why would I want to see you naked?"

"Now I'm insulted."

"Shirt. Now." She pokes her knife into Ian's chin. "Or your bestie gets it."

Matt bolts to his feet and strips it off. "Do your worst."

She grins and her eyes light up with a menacing glow. "Pants too."

"What? You said shirt!"

"And now I'm saying pants. Come on cutie, you're not a dummy."

Matt looks like he's sucked a lemon. The situation isn't funny but Ian has to smother a grin. "He doesn't like pet names."

"How would _you_ know?" Mandy runs her fingers over Matt's chest fur. "Oh wow. You're so beautiful."

"Guys don't like it when chicks call them beautiful, it's emasculating."

"Shut up! You want a knife to the jugular?"

"Not particularly."

"Well zip it." 

Matt's fingers fumble at his belt buckle. "If I do this, you have to let Stella go."

"Aw, my hero..." Mandy smirks and pats her ample tits. "So brave."

"Do we have a deal?"

"I'll think about it."

Matt glares and folds his arms across his chest. "Agree or my pants stay on."

She yanks Stella to her feet. "Get out of here. I know where you live so if you tell the cops anything, you're dead."

Stella crawls up the stairs on her hands and knees. "I won't. I swear."

Mandy locks the door and switches on the light. "Much better. I'm waiting."

"Damn. There's a light?"

"You really are an idiot aren't you?" she says conversationally. "Sad. Matt, you have ten seconds to take your pants off before I stab Ian."

Matt unbuckles his belt and freezes as she comes close. "What're you doing?"

"I bet your cock is huge."

"Wow. Don't sugar-coat the insanity or anything. You're freaking him out."

"Cover your eyes if you don't want to see him naked. I'm guessing seven, eight inches?"

"Six actually. Just an average guy." Matt slides his jeans down his thick thighs. "See?"

"No, I can't see. You're still wearing your boxers."

"They weren't part of the deal. You said pants and shirt."

She growls. "Kiss him."

"What?"

"You didn't see me last night at the club did you? I saw your face when Nina was on top of him. You looked jealous."

"Wrong. That was rage, get it right," Ian says in a bored tone. 

How long would it take Stella to alert Brad? He wouldn't just leave. If he can keep her talking Matt might have a chance. Still, if she actually touches him or hurts him, he has no problem killing her. It's self-defence right? She's holding them captive, it totally counts.

She shakes her head. "Nope. I know jealousy when I see it. I bet you guys fuck all the time. I read that quote from Ian online. The one about them making out."

"I said occasionally. Why do you want us to make out? You’re in love with him, isn’t that why we’re here?"

"Yeah, and? Two hot guys kissing turns me on. Just like guys love two chicks getting it on." Her knife swishes through the air and Matt's boxers end up round his ankles. "Oops."

Ian jumps to his feet. "You crazy bitch! You could've cut him!"

"See? You love him. Kiss him.  _Now_."


	11. Chapter 11

"I'll kiss him if you let him go."

"What? No way!"

"What's your end game here Mandy? You tie him up in the back seat of your little red Corvette and drive off into the sunset? It's not realistic, is it? A deal goes both ways, you get something, we get something."

She smirks. "Aw, he's horny... Kiss him."

Ian spins. "He needs to take a whiz."

She chucks a metal bucket across the floor and it rolls like a concussed Coke can. "Be my guest."

Apart from that one time in Italy, Ian doesn't make a habit of watching Matt pee. Performance anxiety is a real thing. 

"Give him a bit of privacy. How would you like it? I'll kiss him after."

Matt's boxers are still trapped around his ankles and he misses the bucket by a mile. Piss hits Ian's feet and splashes Mandy's white cotton socks. Not that she seems to mind. Judging by the look on her face she's just had a mental orgasm.

Matt groans, shakes off and hobbles behind Ian's back. "All done."

"Now _kiss_ him."

Ian smothers him with his own body and pecks him on the cheek. "There."

She snorts. "That doesn't count. A proper kiss, with tongue."

"Deal first."

She shakes her head before turning a white dial on the wall. A huge industrial fan kicks in, spewing boiling hot air into the tiny basement. 

"It's getting hot in here..." she sings. 

"If you take off all your clothes I might vomit."

Matt huffs a chuckle in his ear. "Yeah."

She throws the knife with such precision she pins Ian to the wall by his shirt. His spit dries up. What the hell? Is she some kind of ex-communicated circus performer?

Sweat pools under his armpits. They won't last long in this heat. To kiss or not to kiss? It's not that he doesn't love Matt because he does, but this isn't about love, it's about control. And Mandy's sick fantasies. Maybe he should just play along until someone rescues them… 

"Fine, we'll kiss."

Matt’s eyes dart to the knife. "I don't want to kiss Ian. I want to kiss you." His hunched shoulders drop and he holds his arms out to Mandy. "Kiss me. I want you to."

She attacks him like he's the last donut in the store and Ian tugs out the knife. One hurdle down, one to go. He can't exactly stab her with Matt so close. Moving in slow motion he kicks the knife behind a large box of whipping cream on the floor. 

She's straddling his body and grinding her hips on his lap. He _is_ groaning but Ian suspects it has more to do with her giant tits dangling in his face. "Oh baby, you're so hard..."

Ian smothers a laugh. She sounds like a B-grade actress in a made-for-TV movie. "You'll never make him come like that."

She laughs. "Oh really? And I suppose you can?"

"We're actors. Alaric and Damon are fictional characters, not real people. What's your handle? I bet you write fan fiction huh?"

"Sure. My username's @Man_Eater75. You gonna add me on Twitter?"

"Something like that."

"Fine. You think you can do better than me? Make him come."

"He's not a sex toy. He's a real person with feelings."

She shrugs him off. "A deal's a deal, remember? Do it and I'll let you both go."

"I've heard that before."

"I will. I swear."

"On what?"

She pinches Matt's nipple. "On his life."

Matt's got his invisibility cloak on. He's staring into space and chewing his bottom lip. Ian has to end this,  _now._

"You win. So our deal is I make him come and you let us both go?"

She nods, once up, once down. "That's right."

Where the hell is Brad? He doesn't want to molest Matt in front of this bitch. 

Mandy leans on the thermostat and giggles. "Get on with it."

Sweat dribbles down his neck and pools in his back. He yanks his t-shirt over his head and kicks it on top of the box hiding the knife. It's distraction time. 

"Aw, that's so cute. You don't know what to  _do_..."

Ian glares at her. "What?"

"You're a total liar. You have no idea how to make him come."

"He's a guy, I'm a guy," He pretends to trip over the whipping cream box and hides the knife in his boot. "How hard can it be?" 

"We're going to play a game..." She giggles and twists a lock of hair around her finger.  "And I know the perfect one."

"Jesus, what now?"

"Your goal is to score fifty points. A kiss is worth ten, a blow job is worth twenty..."

"So two blowjobs and a kiss?" Ian grins. "I can do that."

She giggles. "One  _each_."

"I didn't realise you were hiding a cock under that mini skirt."

Matt snorts and fist bumps him. "Good job buddy."

She holds up a finger. "And then we have negative points."

"Is that even a thing? How do you score negative points?"

"Challenge one; you have two minutes to make Matt come. Fail and you get fifty negative points."

"Seriously? Who's scoring this, Yoda?"

"Fifty negative points and I stab you in the face."

"With what?" Ian says, smirking. "Your scathing wit?"

She opens her gigantic purple handbag and holds up a hatchet. "With this."

Chills make Ian's knees go weak. "Jesus fucking Christ! Where the hell did that come from?" 

"A hardware store. And by the way, if I have to repeat myself, I'll hurt Matt with it."

"So we're skipping the kiss and going straight for the blowjob?" He rolls his eyes and sighs. "Okay. Come here buddy." He sits on a box and tugs Matt forward. "Think sexy thoughts."

Ian strokes his furry belly and drops a kiss on his flaccid dick. Matt gets instant goosebumps and moans softly. So much for romance… Two minutes versus a hatchet to the face? Talk about _pressure_. 

Mandy shoves a chubby arm underneath her skirt. "Keep going, this is good!"

"Kill me," Ian whispers, wrinkling his nose. "I did  _not_  sign up for this shit."

Matt slides a shaky hand through Ian's hair. "Do it. Suck me harder."

He digs his fingers in the soft globes of Matt's ass and hollows out his cheeks. The slurping and sucking is deafening in the silence. And now he can hear wet slapping sounds. He wants to poke the hatchet into his own brain; those noises aren't coming from _him_. 

Matt’s fingers tangle in his hair and he jerks his hips. "I'm close, real close... Aaahh, oh shit, oh wow." He spills inside Ian's mouth and slumps to his knees. " _Fuck_."

Mandy starts a slow clap and grins. "Well done. That was delicious. Twenty points. And with thirty seconds to spare..." She tickles Matt's cheek. "Guess that's what happens when you get old."

"Bitch. I'm only thirty-seven," he says snarkily.

She smirks and opens a box of whipped cream. She takes out a can and shakes it before squirting it over Matt's nipples. "Yummy... Time to make good on challenge number two."

"You want me to lick cream off his nipples? What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Don't tell me you're lactose intolerant? That's just sad." She fakes a deep sigh. "Fine. I'll do it then."

Matt jumps backwards and falls on Ian's lap. " _Hell_  no. I don't want crazy chick spit all over me. Who knows where that mouth’s been?"

"It's her fingers I'm worried about..." Ian mutters. He smears the rapidly melting cream into Matt's chest hair. "Turn around and I'll get it off for you."

Matt swivels and nestles his head in the crook of Ian's neck. "My hero..."

"Just hurry up about it," she says, checking her watch. "We don't have long."

"What does that mean?"

"It means Mr Hatchet is getting lonely. Hurry the fuck up."

A red dot appears on the hatchet's blade. A _moving_ red dot. Is that what he thinks it is? He hopes like hell it's a rifle sight and not a laser pointer. He tracks the dot as it flicks over the ceiling and onto a black blind covering a window he never noticed was there. 

He strokes Matt's spine and whispers, "Window. Distract her."

Matt gets up reluctantly and shuffles over to her. "I know you've got some kind of gross fantasy about Ian licking me. Why don't you do it?"

Her eyes light up like someone's shining a flashlight in her ear. "Sure thing. Come here gorgeous." She yanks him by the dick to the stairs. "Feels more like eight inches to me."

Matt glances at Ian and fakes an eye-rolling moan. "Oh wow, that's so awesome." 

Ian uses his distraction to its fullest. Hugging the wall, he sneaks over and grabs the hatchet. It's not as scary now as it was when she was waving it in Matt's face. It's so light it feels like a toy. 

Matt's moans increase in volume and tempo and he presses Mandy's face to his creamy nipples. 

Ian grimaces. Poor guy, talk about taking one for the team. 

Watching them like a hawk, he eases the knife out of his boot and uses it to cut the blind. It rips loudly and his heart thumps. Did she hear that? No. She's too busy cannibalising Matt's cock. 

The first thing he's gonna do when they escape is buy a shit ton of sanitizer. And soap. Possibly even a hazmat suit.  For her he'll get a huge metal drum and fill it with acid. 

The window's metal latches are covered in rust. He carves a few flakes off with the knife but they don't budge. Someone walks past. A _familiar_ someone. Red wedge heels with black trim. _Candice_. He knows because she spent most of last night gushing about what a good deal she got on them.

"What the hell are you doing up there?" Mandy shrieks and yanks his boot. "If you're hoping for rescue you're shit out of luck." She turns on Matt. "And _you_. Pretending you're all hot under the collar? How stupid do you think I am?"

Ian slides the hatchet between two boxes and jumps. "I was gonna go for retarded."

"I hate you!" She rushes him and pummels him like a toddler having a temper tantrum. "You're gonna die!"

Matt thumps her in the head from behind with a rolling pin and she slams to the ground. "He shoots, he scores!"

"Where the hell did you find that?" 

"I guess you missed the part where she tried to shove it up my ass?"

"Shit, are you okay?"

"Yeah. That's when she got distracted by you. You can kiss me better when we get out of this hellhole. Where did you find a laser pointer?"

"Not me." Ian hugs him and kicks Mandy in the neck. "Hope she dies. Find something to tie her up with."

"What was that red light?"

"I was hoping for a rifle sight. Brad and Candice are still here, we just need to get their attention."

"Where are the knife and the hatchet?"

"Safe, don't worry. Go check the door. I didn't see if she used a key or drew a deadbolt. Get dressed; I'll try the window again." 

He cuts open two more boxes and uses the packing strip to bind Mandy's wrists. He ties it so tight her hands turn blue. Like he cares. After what she's done to Matt he hopes she burns in hell. Why the hell would you shove a rolling pin up someone’s ass? So much for loving him. Her sick and twisted version anyway.

Matt rattles the door a few times and plods back down. "No joy. There's a keyhole but no key."

Ian eyes Mandy's skimpy mini skirt and even skimpier tube top. "All she has is Stella's phone in her pocket. Nothing in her purse either. Where the hell did she put it?"

"I hate to think. What about the window?"

"We could punch the glass out. It's not big enough to escape from though." He yanks his sweaty t-shirt over his head and thumps off the thermostat. "Jesus Christ I'm roasting here. Help me pile these boxes back up and throw me the rolling pin."

"I just have to do one thing."

"What?"

"This." Matt hugs him so tight his ribs crack. "I love you."

"Love you too. She shoulda known better huh? No one screws with you but me." He falters and then smirks. "Not like that."

"But in every way that counts."

Ian climbs up again and whacks the rolling pin against the glass. "It's not working. It's freaking bullet proof or something."

"Let me try. Bigger muscles."

"Asshole."

"You know it." 

The glass shatters on Matt's fourth attempt and then a siren goes off. "What the hell was that?"

"Burglar alarm? Who the hell cares? Move out of the way. I should be able to at least get my shoulders out..." He winks. "Less muscles."

 


	12. Chapter 12

Candice paces outside the muffin shop. The stale taste of worry and horror has morphed into numbness. Brad's still on his phone, to Tony this time. She's heard him say 'FBI' and Brad's muffled negative responses. He's not in control, neither of them are. 

He slips the phone in his pocket and comes over. "Tony's livid. I'm gonna lose my job over this, I know it."

She pats his shoulder. "No you won't. Ian's impulsive. When he's got his mind set on something we both know he doesn't think. What did the manager say?"

"He's in Cabo. The only person with a key was his full time manager Stella." He sighs and scrubs a hand over his beard. "I don't get it. Who is this Mandy chick? I tried calling the restaurant but no one knows who she is!"

"Didn't Ian say he spoke to her Dad?"

"That's the weird thing, he doesn't work there. The only guy is the chef and he's from Sweden. Damn it!"

She hears glass smash over the noise of the traffic. A grubby window. A white hand. She clutches Brad's arm. "Oh my god! Look!"

He sprints across the street and lies on his belly outside the window. She hears a crow of joy and chills rush up and down her spine. Brad waves her over and hands her a small hatchet. "Hold that. I'm gonna batter the door down. Stay here with them."

Candice drops to her knees and strokes Ian's dirty hand. "Thank God! Is Matt okay too?"

"He's right behind me. There's not enough room for both of us up here."

She buries her face in her hands and sobs. "Sorry, sorry. I-I can't--"

"We're okay I swear. Can't say the same for Mandy."

"I-Is she dead?"

"Unfortunately not. I'm thinking of entering Matt in the local rolling pin wrestling championships. Don't cry, everything's okay."

Matt's face appears at the window. "Where's Brad?"

"Knocking the door down with a baby axe? Can't you hear him?"

"Nope. We'll give him a minute."

Candice hears a faint scraping sound and raises her eyebrows. "Is that him?"

Matt shrugs. "I'll go see. Talk to Ian."

"I'm gonna see if he's managed to break in. Be right back."

Ian clutches her fingers. "No. I don't want you getting hurt. You've already gone way beyond the duty of friendship already. Joe and the girls must be going crazy."

"What are friends for? They're fine. He knows where I am."

"Did you see Stella leave?"

"Who? Oh right. The manager chick. I haven't left the store for a minute. There's no way she snuck past me."

"Weird... Mandy let her go at least two hours ago. That's when she locked the door."

"Why can't you get it from her then?"

He shrugs. "It's not down here. Unless she stashed it somewhere." 

Metal screeches and Ian drops away from the window. "Brad's in! See you in a second, don't move."

She scuffs her trainers on the wall for six whole minutes before the boys finally make their exit. With vampire strength, she squishes them all together in a group hug. 

"Cant. Breathe." Ian manages to get out. "And someone stinks. Is it me?"

"Like I care. You guys are safe, I'm so happy!"

"And you're crying because?" 

"Because I'm a girl. That's my job."

Ian brushes her hair out of her eye. "You're the strongest person I know. Let's go home."

"Wait," Brad says. "I need to drop our friend off at LAPD."

"Why not the Pacific Ocean? We might even find a shark if we're lucky."

"Luck schmuck. Ian can bite her neck. Shark smorgasbord."

Candice's jaw drops. "Matthew Davis... I'm shocked."

"You have no idea what we've been through the past couple of hours. I need a shower, a nap and a prescription of Xanax, not necessarily in that order."

"You're okay buddy," Ian says, looking tenderly into his eyes. "We're alive, we're safe and we're together, that's all that matters."

Matt blushes. So much for keeping things on the down-low. He loves Ian but he worries that people will find out. Ian's a hundred times more famous than he is; he's got more to lose.

Brad swings the car into a neighbouring narrow alley and beckons them inside. "Let's go."

"Where's the freak?" Ian asks.

Brad grins. "Trunk."

Back at home, after copious rounds of back slaps from Tony, apologies from Brad, the boys rest. Matt curls up in Ian's arms and just listens to the beat of his heart. Ian strokes his hair and they share gentle kisses that make his heart sing. 

"Love you," he mutters sleepily. 

"Always and forever?"

"That's Original."

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I'd love some comments - good or bad is fine, just constructive criticism which is what all writers need to better themselves. As a special treat I've been trawling the net for you and have found some *ahem* sites that feature the lovely Matt Davis as you've never seen him before!  
> The first one is a series of GIFS/screenshots featuring both Colin Farrell and Matt Davis from a movie called Tigerland which Matt did back in 2000. Very nice! You get to see his naked butt! See link below:
> 
> http://nakedwarriors.tumblr.com/post/35851392722/colin-farrell-and-matthew-davis-in-tigerland
> 
> The second link I'm sharing is from someone's Tumblr page and features various season 7 GIFS. The one I based a lot of these RPF stories on is top of the page on the right - so much eye flirting going on!
> 
> http://matthewdavisnetwork.tumblr.com/


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